TALENT, Ore. — Just before sunset on Tuesday, a cougar was spotted lurking near a Talent apartment complex. Police said the cougar was not very afraid of people and appeared to be either sick or injured and may have been hit by a car.

It was the second time Talent police had been called out after reports of a cougar came in earlier Tuesday.
Calls were made to animal control and the Department of Fish and Wildlife in hopes the animal could be tranquilized, but with no one available to come out, police said they acted to ensure public safety.

“Because the animal was obviously injured or sick, there was a danger that the animal might hurt somebody if it got away from us so we went ahead and decided to dispatch the animal,” said Talent Police Officer Gail Schweizer